Surface covering and method of ornamenting same



u y 3, 1929. R. o. BONNEY 3,722,239

SURFACE COVERING AND METHOD OF ORNAMENTING SAME Filed D80. 31, 1927 1 N V EN TOR Roberf 0. 500/789 BYMZW ATTORNEY Patented July 23, 1929.

UNITED STATES PATENT", OFFICE.

ROBERT D. IBONNEY, or NORWOOD, rRNNsYLvAuIA; ASSIGNOR TO CONGOLEUM'-NAIRN,.

me, A CORPORATION OF NEW.YORI K. Y

SURFACE covER Ne AND METHOD ORNAMENTING SAME.

Application filed llecember 31, 1927. Serial No. 243,924.

My present invention relates to surface coverin s and to a process of ornamenting the same. More particularly does it relate to the ornamentation of flexible hard-surfaced floor coverings, whereby a color pattern is formed thereon, in a manner to cause such pattern to stand out in relief. The invention is especially applicable to the production of a flex ible floor covering having a substantially smooth wearing surface formed by depositing layers of paint upon a suitable backing and having a color pattern thereon in imitation of hand-laid glazed ceramic tiling.

Essentially, the invention consists in ornamenting the surface of a suitable base, such as linoleum or asphalt saturated felt, byprin'ting'or coating or both, to form a color pattern thereon, certain portions or areas of such color pattern having a high gloss or luster, and certain other portions or areas of'said color pattern having substantially no luster or gloss, and the areas or portions having substantially no luster or gloss preferably being formed very slightly below the general surface level of the goods.

' In order that the invention may be clearlyimderstood, I will describe in detail one specific embodiment thereof, namely, the ornamentation of a flexible, hard-surfaced floor covering in imitation of hand-laid glazed ceramic tiling, and 'also the specific method of obtaining same. In this description, I shall refer to the accompanying draw ing, in which: 1

Figure 1 illustrates a stri of floor covering embodying my invention, uring the process of manufacture; and 1 Figure 2 is a sectional elevation on an'enlarged scale, taken on the line 22of'l?ig- 40 1116 1. I

In carrying out my invention, I employ as a base, a strip of flexible floor covering material 1, having a smooth surface such as linoleum or asphalt saturated felt. In using the latter material, the baseiis usually preliminarily coated upon both sides with a paint, varnish,..

or cellulose lacquer to seal in the asphalt saturant. According to the preferred method, the base material is first uniformly, coated upon the side which is to subsequently form the wearing surface, with a colored paint layer 2, which is selected, in accordance with the color pattern, to serve as a background or field color in imitation 5 of the mortar joints of hand-laid ceramic eposited upon the lusterless coating 2, serve 11 tiling. This paint is chosen to provide that characteristic essential tothe invention, namely, that it shall possess substantially no luster or gloss when dry, and also to provide that characteristic of smooth, dense texture which is requ site for serviceable wear.,

The strip having thereon the coating. or I paint layer 2 of the characteristics defined, is

dried in the usual manner. a It is then passed through a block printing machine of the type" described and shown in Letters Patent 1,145,821, granted to William H. Waldron, July'6, 1915, which there is a series of print blocks mounted on carriers having an intermittent reciprocating motion'to and from the material as the strip is moved through the machine. The print blocks are provided with raised patterns corresponding tothe color pattern to be impressed, there being at least one block for each color to be printed.

These blocks are supplied with a paint of a color different from that employed in the coating 2, and, in cont-radistinction thereto, being of the enamel type and adapted to yield a high luster or gloss when dry. "As the colored paint layers, 3, 4, and 5, of-otile-like I configurations corresponding o the pattern,

are deposited-upon the coated strip; In the drawing, three kindsof color units or layers are employed. The units 3 are alike in color color as indicated by the vertical lines. If

desired, however, the paint layers of tile-like configuration maybe of the same color or different shades of the'same color.

According to my invention,*the variously colored ,paint layers, 3, 4, and 5, of tile-like configuration, are non-contiguous and are soarranged as to leave visible in the completed color pattern, portions 6 of the lusterless coatin -2 of such configuration as to simulate e mortar joints between the tiles.

This results in an ornamentation for floor covering in imitation of hand-laid glazed ceramic tiling senting the tiles are formed of aflayerof high gloss or lustrous paint, while the p01,-

Vtions representing the mortar joints are formed of a layer of paintof substantially no luster or gloss. Furthermore, the layers of aint, 3, 4, 5, of tile-like configuration, being wherein the portions repre 80 blocks reciprocate, a plurality of variously to form a'color pattern which, although substantially -'in one plane, is, nevertheless, in

very slight physical relief, such relief being equivalent to the thickness of the paint layers. I f

. The color pattern formed in this manner, stands'outstrikingly, partially because of theslight actual physical relief of the tilelike portions, but principally because .it is optically accentuated bythe variation in luster between the layers of paint simulating the tile elements and the layers of paint simulating the mortarjoint between such tile fore,-possess the disadvantages of collecting dirt in the grooved portion lying at the lower levels and of susceptibility to cracking at.

these lower elevations due to reduced difference of thickness of the floor -covering, my

invention avoids these disadvantages, and

provides for a floor covering of substantially uniform thickness and possessing a substantially smooth wearing surface, while exhibiting the visual effect of a color pattern formedthereon in relief. g

It will be apparent that certain modifications may be made in the manner of carrying out my invention, Thus, If des red, the coating or layer 2 of non-lustrous amt, need not be applied over the entire su'r ace ofthe strip, but maybe printed thereon at such points as it is to be visible in the final color pattern, leaving open spaces of ,tlle-like configurations, which will besubsequentlyfilled with layers of variously colored paints of high gloss or luster. According to this practice, the color pattern is in reality formed in a single plane, but, nevertheless, itvpossesses the illusory effect of being formed in relief,

owing to the selected variation in luster or gloss between the-layers of paint simulating the tile elements and the la er of paint simulating the mortar joints. etween such tile elements. a r

While it is apparent'that my invention'is particularly applicable to the ornamentation jof floor coverings simulating hand-laidglazed ceramic tiling, the essentials thereof may likewise be employed in ornamentation with other patterns, andthe invention is, therefore, not limited to its illustrated embodiment, but may be otherwise-embodied within the scope of the following claims.

-Claims 1. The method of ornamenting the surface of aflexible hard-surfaced fioor covering, which comprises coating its surfaee with a layer of paint having substantially noluster or gloss, and printing u on said coatingwith vari-colored paints o high luster or gloss figures of tile-like configuration, such tile-like figures being non-contiguous and arranged to leave visible in the completed color pattern a portioniofthe lusterless paint layer of such configuration-as to simulate mortar joints between said tile-like figures.

2. The method of ornamenting the surface of flexible hard-surfaced floor covering which comprises-coating this surface with a layer of paint having substantially nolustre or gloss,.and printing figures upon saidcoating with vari-colored paints of high lusjtre or gloss, and printing figures upon said uous and arranged toleave v1s1b1e' in them completedcolor pattern portions of the lustreless paint layer. a

In testimony whereof, I aflix my signature.

ROBERT D. BONNEY. 

